Being the mom of a fly fisher can be a thankless job. Why? Under “normal” circumstances, being a mom is often thankless. So much is done and so much goes unseen. Especially in the pre-teen and teenage years, there can be a lot of heartache and anxiety and frustration. That is best-case scenario. Add to …
When his Little Brother through Big Brothers Big Sisters didn’t understand why anyone would want to go into the woods to just walk around, an idea began to form in Alec Griswold’s mind. He had the opportunity to share the outdoors with a young person. More than that, it was a young person who had …
I’m sure there are plenty of summer camps that feature a sunrise wake-up call. But I can’t imagine many of them are attended joyfully by teenagers. Instead of grueling runs or study sessions in the a.m., students at the Pennsylvania Rivers Conservation & Fly Fishing Youth Camp are up, dressed, and waist-deep in the water. …
Two years ago I wrote a two part series on how you can help your kids get into fly fishing. Although I don’t have a degree in early childhood education and am not a perfect parent, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that the ideas I presented back then work. How do …
Years ago, it went out of business. It was one of the first fly shops I stepped foot in. Like many other storefronts on an old main street, some combination of modern economic factors caused it to shutter its doors after decades of service to locals and out-of-towners. It had the reputation for catering to …
I love a good sales pitch. In fact, one of the things I enjoy the most at fly fishing shows is hearing people hawk their products. But after riding the circuit for a while, I start to say “no thanks” when people ask if they can show me how their gizmo will surely help me …
I am blessed. I have four boys. A baby of two months, a two-year old, a four-year old, and a six-year old. As for the eldest, tonight is the last night he will be six. He is very excited about being seven and growing up. We are excited for him. Having other, younger children helps …
Every winter I head to a few outdoor and fly fishing expos. There are things I want to do for Casting Across, friends in the fly fishing industry I help out, and, ultimately, simply my personal enjoyment. Consequently I end up talking about fly fishing shows a lot. My wife accompanied me once, years ago. …
If I had to only write about fly fishing I’d lose my mind. I love trout and fly rods and debating the merits of synthetics vs. naturals in fly tying as much as anyone. However, there is only so much cast and catch writing in me. Thankfully, fly fishing is interwoven into a veritable tapestry …
The first half of this story can be read here on Casting Across. Immediately, the ascent was treacherous. I plodded up the loose forest floor in my wading boots, every step strengthening my resolve to get to the top while simultaneously increasing the force with which I asked myself “why?” Mind you, this was a …
